Caged In, Chained Up
by LeisaTheGreat
Summary: Naruto is kidnapped by Madara Uchiha and when he wakes up, he is inside a coffin! Can Sakura and the rest of team 7 save their friend before the kyuubi is extracted? Or is Naruto at the mercy of his captor? NaruSaku.
1. Taken

_**Caged In, Chained Up**_

_By LeisaTheGreat_

**Chapter One**

The lights were dim, almost non-existant, within the apartment of a certain blonde haired shinobi. But even though the room was dark and there was garbage littering the floors, Naruto expertly dodged each cup of instant ramen, each bundle of dirty clothes. _Maybe I should take Sakura's advice and clean up a little..._He muses, tiredly. _If she were here, there's no doubt in my mind, she'd be chewing me out for having such a messy apartment._ The young ninja sighs as he flops onto his bed, burying his face into the pillows.

It had been a particularly long day of training. And, even though he normally didn't mind things like that, today had taken its tole on Naruto. And by that point, he was utterly exhausted. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, he allows his body to relax. And lets sleep consume him.

_**-xXx-**_

A darkly clad figure stands on the head of Hokage Monument, staring down at the village he once called home. "It's been quite a while..." Madara Uchiha realizes. Beneath his swirling, orange mask, the man smirks. A warm, summer-night wind toys with his black and red cloak. "It's too bad I'm not here for sight-seeing...it would do me well to see how much my little Konoha has changed..." With a dark chuckle, he shakes his head and dissapears into a swirling vortex.

_**-xXx-**_

__Naruto grumbles in his sleep, rolling over to face the wall so that his back was to the majority of his bedroom. The young jinchuuriki is entirely unaware of the shadowed figure towering over him.

"Naruto Uzumaki..." The figure breathes.

He recieves no response from the sleeping teen. Gingerly, he reaches out. His hand clamping down on Naruto's shoulder. Beneath his grip, the boy's body tenses. He was awake. Blazing azure eyes connect with Madara's as Naruto flips off the bed, ripping himself from the intruder's grasp.

"Madara!" Naruto tries to supress his startled gasp but fails, silently cursing himself for not realizing sooner who he was dealing with. "What are _you_ doing here?!"

The Uchiha snickers, shaking his head. "I'll give you one guess..."

"Tsk!" The blonde's hands weave into his favorite signal. "_Shadow clone_-"

"Too slow." Instantly, Madara is in his face. He throws a punch, causing Naruto to release the sign in order to block.

He stares in confusion as his opponent's fist goes staight through him. _Oh, right! Physical attacks don't work on him...AGH! He just stopped me from making a clone! I am so stupid!_

"What's wrong, Naruto? You look a bit startled..." He teases.

The other ninja growls, furiously. "How did you get here?! I would have thought the ANBU would have stopped you from getting into the village..."

Madara shakes his head again. "You over-estimate them. If they can't use their jutsu on me, how can they stop me?" He says.

Naruto tenses, desperately trying to think of a way to diffuse the situation. _I can't win if I can't fight him! _He glares at Madara, suddenly remembering to avoid the man's eyes. _If he catches me in a genjutsu, I'm done for!_ Lowering his gaze, he focuses on watching the movement of his neck-down.

"Hm?" Madara laughs, darkly. "It's about time you remembered who you're dealing with. Still sleepy, Naruto...?"

"Tsk! Shadow clone jutsu!" Another Naruto appears in a puff of white smoke. _I can get away if I distract him!_

But it was already too late for a fight. Madara steps forward, catching Naruto's throat just as he weaves the sign to make a clone. "Just allow yourself to be captured...your death will lead to peace." Says Madara, mirroring Nagato's words.

Fury and fear boil in Naruto's chest. _How dare he...! _Suddenly Madara lifts him off his feet, holding him into the air. _He's solid now..._Naruto realizes, numbly as black spots dance across his vision. _I...can..._He tries once more to take a choked breath, struggling fiercely against his enemy's powerful grip. But it was no use, the Uchiha was strong...

"Goodnight, Naruto Uzumaki."

And then the world tips, violently and Naruto is consumed by darkness...


	2. A Frog in A Well Knows Nothing of a Sea

**Chapter Two**

"Ughh..." After what seemed like a few seconds, Naruto's eyes slip open. His groggy mind only vaugely registering the pitch darkness of his surroundings. Shifting slightly, he gasps in pain as his muscles seize up. _Ah...CRAMP! _And he quickly goes to massasging his aching legs. "Ohh...where _am_ I?" He tries squinting through the darkness, hoping his eyes will adjust. But no such luck. Where ever he is, there doesn't seem to be a source of light to adjust to...

The blonde tries stretching his legs, only to frown in confusion when they are suddenly stopped. His feet pressed against something. He squirms again, attempting to move away from whatever was trapping him...but again, his shoulders bumb something. Then his other arm, and his other leg...

He was surrounded...

The teen's chest clenches as panic begins in melt his calmness. _Am I in a...box?_ He shudders. _Or a...c-coffin?_ He swallows, nervously as he tries again to struggle out of his cramped spot, where his knees are touching his chin. But to no avail. _WHERE THE HECK AM I?! _He demands of himself, furiously looking around, trying to find some kind of indication. He finds no answer. Then, something else occurs to him. _Am I already...dead? _He wonders.

Just then, something brushes his cheek, causing the blonde to stiffen. "W-what the...?" He struggles, flipping himself around until he is on his hands and knees. With his face pressed to the side of his container. That's when he feels the rough punctures throughout the walls. "Air holes?" He mutters, confused. "Oh yeah..." It's only just then that he remembers being attacked by a member of the Akatsuki. "If I suffocate, the kyuubi dies too..." Sighing, he turns over again and flops down against the wall.

Suddenly, his body is wracked by violent, sickening coughs that seemed to eminate straight from his core. When they finally die down, he feels extremely weak...Little did he know, that box he was trapped in was slowly draining away at his chakra.


	3. Signs of a Struggle

**Chapter Three**

"Huh?" Sakura scrutinizes the training field where her teammates usually trained. "I thought Naruto said he would be here today..." Frowning, she grumbles, "Great, I need to talk to him! Hm...little moron is probably at Ichiraku's with Iruka Sensei, knowing him..." With a weary sigh, she turns back and heads toward the village.

**xXx**

"Iruka Sensei!" Sakura calls, waving at him from across the street.

"Oh, hi there Sakura." The academy teacher greets, happily. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Sensei, you haven't seen Naruto around have you?"

"Nope, not since yesterday. Why, did something happen?" The expression on his face was one of growing concern for his student.

"No, no nothing like that. I was just curious because he didn't show up to training today." She tells him.

"Hm, that's strange." Iruka remarks.

"Yeah, totally not like him..." She agrees.

"Normally I would suggest checking the ramen stand but I was just there, and he wasn't."

Sakura nods. "Well if he's not training and he's not eating..."

"Then he's sleeping."

Sakura and Iruka laugh and say their goodbyes. She thanks him for his help and hurries off to her friend's apartment. Where, surely, he'd managed to over sleep.

**xXx**

_Knock, knock, knock..._

Sakura shakes her head, her arms folded. She'd been waiting for him to answer for the door for ages. Where was the little dooface?

A slight smile finds her lips when she pictures her overly-energetic, loud-mouthed best friend sleeping peacfully in his room. _I almost feel bad for waking him on his day off..._She smirks again when she decides, _But I'm sure my news will cheer him up! After all, it's not everyday we're asked to help with demonstrations at the academy...he'll probably end up making it a "date" in his mind._ She laughs.

And with that, the rosette pushes the door open, knowing he leaves it unlocked for occasions such as this. Outside light floods the dark hallways, casting eerie-looking shadows across the walls. The floors are littered with their usual trash and filthy, old clothes. The smell of mildew was nearly overwhelming. _I thought I told that knuckle-head to clean this place up! He's gonna end up getting sick if it stays like this...or at least he'll break his neck falling over all this junk!_

"Naruto!" Sakura calls, annoyance evident in her voice. "C'mon, wakey wakey sleepy head!" As soon as she opens the door to his bedroom, she knows she was wrong about him having simply over slept...

**xXx**

When that door creaks open, a sudden chill runs down Sakura's spine. The room was dark. And empty. The sheets on the bed had been ripped off and strewn across the floor. There were scuff marks on the floor and even a few on the walls...

She instantly recognized it as a sign of a struggle. And it was right then and there, she knew. Naruto wasn't simply missing from training. He was missing from the village entirely.

Naruto was gone!


	4. Messenger Toad

**Chapter Four**

For the hundredth time in an hour, Naruto desperately tries to escape his confinement. Bashing his shoulder against the wall did next to nothing. He felt _so_ weak... _This box is draining my chakra._ He realizes. _That's why I can't get out._ The blonde was steadily weakening. He'd already lost consciousness four times, only to wake up feeling even worse than before.

"If this doesn't stop..." He gasps, aloud. "I might...really die here." He had just woken up and already black spots were swarming his vision. His thoughts came slow and fuzzy, at best. There was a steady ringing in his ears...He knew, if he didn't get away soon, he would stop waking up all together.

It was right then that he realizes what he had to do. _This is gonna use the last of my chakra but...I have to do something._ Naruto shifts again, bringing his hand to his mouth and biting the thumb. "S-summoning jutsu!"

There's a puff of smoke and then..."EH?! Hey, what are you doin' summoning me to a place like this?! Where am I anyway, it's so dark in here! And who are you?!" The small red and yellow toad demands, angrily.

"Listen..." Naruto pants. "I'm in...kind of a pickle here..."

"Yeah? You don't think I can see that?!"

Naruto winces as the world takes a sharp dip and spins, violently. "Listen to me!" He snaps. "I need you to...go to the...Hidden Leaf Village. Tell the Hokage...Naruto...managed to get himself caught by...Madara. And I could use...a little bit of help..."

The toad finally notices Naruto's struggle to stay awake and nods. "Yeah, I'll let Tsunade know, right away." The Jinchuuriki nods, weakly before giving into the all-consuming darkness once more.


	5. Message Recieved

**Chapter Five**

Sakura's heart was thundering in her chest as she sprints toward the Hokage's Mansion. She didn't know why she was so scared, there was probably a logical explination for why he wasn't around. But, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to think of one. _He's not at Ichiraku's, he's not training, he's not at home...Naruto where are you?_ Maybe the reason she was so frightened was the state of his room. It had been scrappier than usual, with scuff marks on the ground and walls. _Like he had been fighting someone..._

But who would Naruto be fighting in the middle of the night? A million answers came to her, but she was too scared to admit that someone may have come for him in a place that seemed so safe. _What if it was...the Akatsuki?_ Just the thought of them sent shudders through her body. They were strong. _So is Naruto!_ She points out to herself. _I'm sure he's fine...I just was to be sure is all..._

It takes all of her will power to slow down and knock before going into Tsunade's office. Three knocks later, "Enter." The Hokage yells. She sounded...stressed. Sakura opens the door and takes a step inside, only to freeze as she spots two ANBU members kneeling before her mentor. Neither of which acknowledge her presence.

"I'm sorry." Sakura says, momentarily forgetting her panic. "Am I interrupting?"

"No, actually there's something I need to tell you." Tsunade says, a note of worry in her voice.

"Me too." Sakura informs her.

The Hokage motions for her ANBU members to leave. "You know what to do. Don't let me down." She tells them. They nod and vanish out the window.

Tsunade sighs and leans forward, balancing her face in her hands. "Sakura," She begins. "Something has happened. Now, I want you to stay calm until I've explained everything, okay?"

"I...I think I already know." The rosette mutters, she had a bad feeling about this. "Is it Naruto?" She asks, swallowing nervously.

The older woman lifts her hazel eyes to her student. "Yes, so you already noticed?"

Sakura nods. "I was about to tell you about it." She admits. "So...you don't know where he is, do you?" This was what she had been afraid of. Surely, the Hokage had no idea where her teammate could have dissapeared to.

"Actually, I do have a vauge idea."

Sakura jolts in shock. "What?! Where?!" She demands, taking a step forward.

"I just recieved a message from him..." She takes a deep breath before saying, "He's been captured by Madara Uchiha."


	6. They're Not Coming For You

**Chapter Six**

"Please, Lady Tsunade." Sakura begs. There were panicked tears in her eyes as she leaned over her mentor's desk. "Please, let me be a part of the team that goes to find him!" She's already asked and had been rejected but she kept asking. She _needed_ to be there to see if he was still alive. Waiting around for a report would kill her. She was sure of it. Already, the green-eyed girl's heart was pumping so fast and hard she was sure she would pass out if it didn't slow down. "Please, let me go!"

Once again, Tsunade sighs and refuses to answer her. She'd said 'no' once and she wasn't going to keep saying it. _I swear, sometimes she's such a child. _The blonde woman turns her chair toward the large window behind her desk, trying to ignore her student's pleads. _Naruto, you'd better pull through this..._

"_Lady Tsunade!_" Sakura cries out in frusteration.

"_Shut up, Sakura!_"

The rosette flinches away, involuntarily. Tsunade had been so quiet, she honestly hadn't seen that coming. The yell had just come from nowhere. But now, the two women were standing on opposite sides of her desk, glaring into eachother's eyes. And after her original recoil, Sakura doesn't give an inch.

"I need to go." She says.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's dangerous."

"I don't care! I need to know he's okay!"

"I know you're worried but-"

"No buts!" Sakura suddenly barks. "Naruto is my teammate and my best friend! I don't understand why you would send some random shinobi after _my_ Naruto before you'd send me!"

"They aren't 'random shinobi'." The Hokage protests. "They are highly trained members of the ANBU! Specializing in search and rescue!"

"Why can't you send me with them?!" Sakura demands, her tears were rolling freely now. And she didn't care, she was too focused on the fight to wipe them away.

"Because," Her teacher's voice was suddenly much softer. "We have no clue where he is. These ninja are experts when it comes to tracking people, using only the faintest trace of chakra. You'd get left behind almost immediately." Tsunade explains. "They were taught differently than you. If you couldn't follow the same trail they could, they wouldn't think twice about abandoning you. It's better that you stay here and let them do their jobs."

"But..." Sakura lowers her gaze. She knew Tsunade was right. "What if they don't find him in time?" She asks, finally wiping some of the tears from her eyes. "What if he..." She couldn't finish the sentence, her voice failed her.

"All we can do is hope for the best." Tsunade tells her. "And hope Naruto is strong enough to stay alive until they get there."

_**-xXx-**_

"W-wha...?" Naruto's vision was blurry when he opened his eyes. "Ahh..." He turns his head away from the blinding light above him. His eyes go in and out of focus as he turns, trying to look around but finding himself oddly stiff. "Where...am I?" He wounders.

"What, you don't recognize this place?"

The deep, menacing voice sent Naruto's body going rigid. "Madara!" He hisses as his memory snaps back into place. "Let me go!" He shouts, furiously. Only then does he notice the tight binds around his wrists and ankles. _I'm tied down!_ His heart was pumping quickly at the knowledge that he was completely helpless at the moment. Drained of almost all his chakra and bound to a table, Naruto felt like a caged animal. He could almost picture that dumb fox laughing at the irony of it. _Well we'll see how long you're laughing once you're trapped inside that creepy statue!_

"Sorry, I can't just release you. Especially after all the work I went through to get you here. It wouldn't make much sense to just let you go..." He shrugs.

"Tsk!" Naruto pulls with all his might against the binds but they don't even budge. _Man, I can barely feel my chakra at all..._ Somewhere in the back of his head, the fox was urging him to use his power. But Naruto was already accustomed to telling the kyuubi to shut it and pushes the half-tempting idea away. _I'll do this on my own!_ "Logical?" Naruto laughs. "You realize, by kidnapping me, you're gonna end up bringing the whole Leaf Village down on your head, don't you?!"

"Hm? You're getting quite full of yourself in your old age, aren't you?" Madara shakes his head. "There's no reason to worry, Naruto. They won't find us here."

_It's like he's trying to reassure me...funny. _Naruto rolls his eyes. "And what do you mean? This is the same place as where Gaara..." _Died._ He can't bring himself to finish the sentence out loud. Would he end up the same way?

"Yes, it is. But think about it." Madara shrugs. "Why _should_ they come after you?"

"What?" Naruto voice sounded weak and scared, even to himself.

And the sound of fear in Naruto's voice brought much pleasure to the Uchiha towering over him. It sounded like victory almost as much as his screams surely would... "You're the Nine-tailed Jinchuuriki." He says, as if it were an obvious explination. "The demon sealed within you killed hundreds of people from your village. Their beloved Hokage being one of them. Do you think, just because you defeated Pain, they love you now?"

Naruto's teeth grind together. _He's just trying to get to me. It's not true._

"After all, it's your fault Pain came there in the first place." Madara smirks when the blonde flinches at that. "No...they won't come for you. Your death will be a relief."

"NO!" Naruto barks, his eyes were squeezed shut as he tried, desperately, to keep the fox contained. He was furious and terrified and that made the demon active. It was pushing, hard, against the seal. A little too hard for someone with almost no chakra left. "It's not...true..." He shakes his head.

Madara sighs. "But, I guess we'd better stop wasting our time."

Naruto freezes. What did that mean?

"You see, your little village has become quite the nuisance. Many of my members have died and even more of them are...unavailable at the moment. So I am going to preform the ritual myself."

When Naruto's eyes open, they are colored a deep, blood-red. "What? I thought that was impossible..." He squeaks, silently hating himself for sounding so pathetic in front of his worst enemy.

"Heh," The Akatsuki member draws closer. "Not impossible," He purrs. "Just a little longer for me...and bit more painful for you."


	7. Madara's Best Day Ever

**Chapter Seven**

The pain was unbelievable. It surged through every inch, every cell, every vein in his body. And it was like fire. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move...all he could do...was scream.

When Madara had told him it would hurt, he never imagined this. This. This pain...it was unimaginable. Even as Naruto was living it, he still couldn't wrap his mind around what could possibly cause this level of suffering. Somewhere deep down, he knew the kyuubi was being pulled out of him. He knew that the fire he felt coursing through his body was actually just the same chakra he'd experienced a hundred times before...only magnified by a thousand.

Naruto vaugely felt other things too. He knew he was thrashing around, his body desperately trying to escape its burning torture. But he also felt the chains around his wrists, keeping him restrained. He felt odd dizziness that often accompanied anything to do with the Sharingan, which was what Madara was using to extract the bijuu. And...he heard something too. A voice.

_**Naruto...you have to fight this!**_ It told him. _**If you don't escape, you'll die!**_

___What do you care?_ The blonde asks his inner demon. _And, hey, how can you talk to me right now? You're being pulled out!_

_**I'm not out yet, am I? If I were, you'd already be a goner.**_

___Pff, what a rip off. I was hoping to get a little alone time in my head before I died...I guess that isn't gonna happen though. Not with you around, at least._

_**What's that? It sounds like you're giving up!**_

___...why shouldn't I...?_

_**WHAT?!**_

___Madara was right...I'm nothing but a burden to the village. If it weren't for me, the Pain never would have attacked...Sakura wouldn't have gotten hurt at Tenchi Bridge...Pervy Sage wouldn't be dead..._

_**Shut up, you brat! That's not-**_

___It is. You know it is._ Naruto was suddenly standing ankle-deep in murky black water. Before him, are the huge iron gates that hold the fox inside of him. At that moment, the seal was burning. It was already half gone... _Sorry you ended up with Madara again. I know you hate him._

_**Naruto-**_

___But I'm...really tired all of sudden..._

_**Huh?**_

___I think...I'm gonna...sleep now..._

Naruto's body begins to fade from where it stands if front of the kyuubi. Along with him, the lights begin to dim. Plunging the fox into darkness.

_**You pathetic excuse for a host...**_

_**-xXx-**_

__"AGHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Naruto's screams were like music to Madara's ears. Like a triumphant anthom of victory to his greatest achievement. With that obnxious blonde brat out of the way, completing the Moon's Eye Plan would be a cinch. At one point, the teen's feverish thrashing had stopped, his body suddenly going limp and eerily silent. He was no longer fighting his death. Somehow, that pleased the Uchiha even more.

He glances down at the ground around him, wearing a smirk. Unconscious at his feet were two Leaf Village ANBU. Silly boys thought they could rescue the Jinchuuriki. But Madara had taken them out effortlessly. One of them thought he was being sneaky though, and managed to send a signal back to the Hokage before passing out. Madara was not entirely against having more ninja here to witness the death of their greatest weapon. He chuckles at the thought of that pink-haired kunoichi arriving just in time to see Naruto's last breaths. Of him dying in her useless arms.

This day was just getting better and better for Madara Uchiha.


	8. We're Coming For You

**Chapter Eight**

"What do you mean, they've been defeated?!" Tsunade roars, her powerful fists striking her desk with all the force of wrecking ball. The polished wood splinters, spraying chunks into the air.

Shizune flinches away. "I recieved a message from one of them. It seems they've located Naruto's position but were beaten as soon as Madara figured out they were there..."

"And Naruto? Is he still...?"

Shizune shakes her head. "I'm sorry, they didn't specify."

The Hokage swears under her breath. "What is their location?"

"Here." Shizune hands Tsunade the message, detailing Naruto's position.

The older woman lets out a heavy, drawn out sigh. "Shizune," She begins.

"Yes, My Lady?"

"Bring me all the members of Team 7."

"All of them, My Lady?"

"They'll need as much help as they can get..."

_**-xXx-**_

"Do you all understand your mission?" Tsunade asks.

Kakashi, Yamato, Sai and Sakura nod. "Yes, Ma'am."

"Then go. And be careful."

Without another moment's hesitation, the team is out the door and sprinting for the village gates. For once, Sakura is the one in lead. _Naruto..._ She takes a breath to steady her nerves. _ We're coming. Just hang on...whatever you do...DON'T GIVE UP!_

_**-xXx-**_

__Naruto sighs in relief, smiling a little now that the pain is finally gone. Out of simple curiosity, he searches through his mind, trying to find the kyuubi. He laughs out of pure joy. _He's gone...the kyuubi is gone! I'm free!_ Naruto's laughs trail off and leaves him grinning ear to ear. All the while, his eyes remain closed. After a few moments of silence, he decides to open them. He really had no clue what he was going to see. Not that he cared. He was dead, after all.

His crystalline blue eyes flicker open and he sits up, gazing around. "Huh..." He turns a full circle, inspecting his surroundings. "There's nothing here." He says to himself. "I'm the only one..." And it was true. The only thing to be seen for as far as the eye could go...was nothing. Just simply, a white blank. _How boring..._He thinks.

But he couldn't be too unhappy about it. That wretched pain was G-O-N-E, GONE! The blonde finds himself giggling, happily. He sighs and lays back on...nothing. Folding his arms behind his head, he closes his eyes again. _Of course...there are some things I'll miss..._When a certain 'thing' enters his mind, he frowns. _Sakura...oh man. She'll be pretty upset, I think. Uh oh...what if she cries? I hate it when she cries..._Naruto's eyes open again and he sits up, suddenly feeling restless. _I hope someone tells her it's okay. I don't want her to be sad! Hmm...I think Kakashi-Sensei would. But...Sai would probably just end up making her feel worse. Grr...I swear to God, if he tries to hug her, I'll-_

_ "Naruto...?"_

_ "Huh?"_

Now there's one thing he didn't think he'd see here...

_**-xXx-**_

"AGHHHHHHHHHH...AHHH...AGHHHH...URGGG...HHHH!"

Naruto's cries of pain drift down the dark, empty passage ways throughout the Akatsuki's lair. They echo off walls and seem to come from every direction. In short, the longer it took them to reach Naruto, the more stressful it became for the members of Team 7. Even Sai felt oddly tense at hearing his new teammate's agonized wails.

"They're here!" Yamato announces. The four of them bolt around the corner, staring in horror at the terrible scene playing out before their eyes.

_**-xXx-**_

__The moment of blissful quiet Naruto had granted Madara was short-lived. Soon, his screams returned, just as loud and pained as before. His body jerked, more sharply than before and, for the first time, Madara almost worried that the straps holding the soon-to-be-ex-Jinchuuriki down, would break. It was around that time that he heard footsteps coming closer and closer to them.

_Hmm, Naruto's not quite ready for visitors yet. _He decides. "Zetsu."

At the sound of his name being called, the freakish plant-like man appears through the ground. His body still half melded with the floor. "Yes, Lord Madara?"

"We have some unwanted guests...distract them for a while."

It was at that moment that Team 7 rounded the corner. Zetsu was directly in front of them, prepared to duplicate and fight them all...but their eyes weren't on him. No. All eight horrified eyes were locked on their dying friend, still strapped, screaming and thrashing about on the table. With Madara Uchiha standing over him.


	9. We Love You

**Chapter Nine**

"Yamato, handle Zetsu! Sai, you're with me!" Kakashi shouts as he charges forward, making a beeline straight for the psycho who was killing Naruto. He felt he didn't need to tell Sakura what to do. She would already know, in fact, she was already doing it.

As Kakashi and Sai jumped Madara, distracting him with a flurry of punches, and Yamato fought off Zetsu, Sakura sprinted for Naruto. She could hardly see or hear anything other than him...at that moment, nothing else even existed. Naruto was the only one that mattered.

The world moved in slow motion when she reaches him. Her best friend was thrashing and jerking on the table he was strapped to. His head tilted slightly back as he screamed his lungs out. A funnel of bubbling, angry chakra connects his stomach to the large, gray statue in the center of the room.

Her quick, nimble fingers undo the straps, freeing his hands and feet within seconds. Oddly, his struggles do not increase now that he is free to move around. If anything, his body relaxes slightly. Part of the rosette flirts with the idea that he knows they are there to save him. But, by the look of his condition, that was not the case.

Sakura leans down, pulling Naruto into her arms. His body was limp, like a rag doll, when she picked him up, his head easily leaning into her shoulder. His skin was so cold it made her shiver. "You're going to be okay..." She whispers in his ear, praying he can hear her reassurances. "Naruto...we're here now. So you're going to be alright..." Much to her surprise, the blonde's screams begin to lessen once he's away from the table. The amount of chakra pouring from the seal diminishes and she hears Madara swear, loudly on the other side of the room. Eventually, the cries of agony become quiet moans. "Sai!" Sakrua calls. "Do it!"

The dark haired boy flips away from Madara, pulling out his scroll and paint brush. "Super Beast Imitation!"

_**-xXx-**_

___"Naruto..."_

_ Naruto had thought he was the only one in this weird little space of nothingness. Apparently he was wrong. The boy stares with wide, stricken eyes at the other figures. Yes, figures. Two of them. _

_ "M..." He begins but his voice chokes and he can't finish._

_ The woman smiles at him. Her long, glossy, red hair shining in the white light. Beside her, a man with spiky blonde hair and cerulean eyes smiles at the both of them. "Naruto." The man says._

_ "D-dad? M-mom?" _

_ Kushina Uzumaki giggles at her son's sheepishness. She breaks away from her husband's arm, which was around her waist, and races to her son's side, pulling him into a tight bear hug. "Naruto!" She cries, burying her face in his hair. He felt cool tear drops dampen his head._

_ "Mom...don't cry." Naruto says._

_ Minato grins at his son. He, too, embraces him and Naruto ends up with his face crushed between his mother and father. An unbelievably warm feeling tingling in his stomach._

_ Naruto laughs, shortly. "What are you doing here?!" He asks, utterly delighted to see them._

_ "Um, we're dead. Remember?" Kushina says._

_ "The real question is, why are you here?" Minato asks him. "How did you manage to see this?"_

_ "Huh?" Naruto tilts his head. "What do you mean?"_

_ Suddenly, Kushina flashes a look at Minato. Her eyes are tight._

_ "Naruto," His father begins. "What happened that brought you here?"_

_ The younger blonde frowns. "You mean, how did I die?"_

_ "Oh...!" Tears spring into Kushina's eyes. Her hand flies to her mouth, clamping it shut as the reality of what has happened sinks in._

_ Minato's face turns deadly serious. "What are you saying?"_

_ Naruto chuckles. "Man, you guys got real serious all of a sudden! And what do you mean 'what am I saying'? I mean, I'm dead! That's obvious isn't it?" He grumbles._

_ Kushina lets out a horrified sob. Her son was DEAD?! How had that happened?!_

_ "Naruto, what happened?" His father asks._

_ "Um..." Naruto hesitates. He really didn't want to relive it. He swallows. "Madara...Uchiha happened."_

_**-xXx-**_

__"Super Beast Imitation!"

As Sai's hand dances across the page, three huge lions spring to life. They charge Team 7's enemies as Kakashi and Sai scoop up the unconscious ANBU and Yamato takes Naruto onto his back.

Sakura spins a full three-sixty, knocking away a Zetsu dupliacate with the heel of her boot as they make a break for the exit. Her eyes never once leave the motionless form of her best friend, slung over Yamato's shoulders. _You're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay..._She tells herself over and over and over again. _Naruto will be fine, he'll be alright...we just have to get away! _

One of Sai's lions is defeated, its ink splatters across the wall as Madara sinks a blade into its head. Only to be replaced by another. The masked man swears under his breath as he struggles to keep an eye on Naruto, who was quickly receding from his vision. _It appears I under-estimated these Leaf Ninja..._As he quickly strikes down another lion. _I won't make that mistake again...!_

_**-xXx-**_

__The minutes pass at crawl as Team 7 rockets through the woods. There was no sign they were being followed, but they didn't want to take any more chances. So they kept running.

The sun was nearly set at this point. The sky was a mesh of oranges and reds, as well as a few splatters of pink and blue. The fiery, red sun was still blazing on the horizon when Sakura noticed something.

"Sensei," She says. "I think we need to stop."

Kakashi turns. "I don't think that's a good idea. Naruto is-"

"Look at him." She motions to Naruto.

Kakashi's expression immediately changes when he sees what she means. Finally, he nods in agreeance. "We should be far enough away for now." And they all drop to the ground.

Kakashi and Sai set the passed-out ANBU members against a tree while Yamato lays Naruto in the grass. Sakura kneels down beside him, fear was making her hands shake as she brushes his bangs from his face.

He was so pale, his face was white as a sheet. And his skin was ice cold. There were dark shadows beneath his half-lidded eyes and his chest was moving to rapidly. His breaths short and labored. The blonde's sunshine hair was dull, a sickly version of grayish-white. In short, he looked like death.

"Naruto..." Sakura breathes, gently brushing her fingers over his cheek. She moves her hands to his chest. Beneath her palms, she felt the rapid pulse of heart. It was moving much too fast, like he'd been working out for hours. Instead of being strapped to a table...Her hands begin to glow a soft green. She wasn't sure what she was healing, he didn't look injured. But she had to try.

_**-xXx-**_

___Without their really noticing, the empty space the family occupied was slowly turning a shade of emerald. Little wisps of golden-green light waft through the air, passing completely unnoticed._

_ "Madara...Uchiha?" Kushina gasps. "You mean the same Madara Uchiha that withdrew the kyuubi from me?"_

_ Naruto nods, slowly. "Yeah."_

_ A small, angry growl builds in Minato's throat. "That little..."_

_ "So you were captured too?" Kushina frowns, wiping a tear from her eye. "Honey, I'm so sorry..."_

_ Naruto shakes his head, shrugging off the violent memory. "I don't-" He words freeze on his lips as a little twinkling ball of chakra floats through the air between his parents and him. It's only then that he notices the dramatic change in their surroundings. "This is..." The chakra felt firmiliar. But for some reason, he couldn't place who it belonged to._

_ "You're being healed!" Minato says, gazing around the jade-colored space._

_ "Healed? But I thought..."_

_ Kushiha squeals in delight as she throws her arms around her son's neck. "You're alive!"_

_ "But...I..." He remembered dying. Didn't he? Wasn't being here proof that he was no longe living? Or... "I'm...not dead?"_

_ "No." Minato's hand ruffles Naruto's hair. "You'll be okay, as long as don't give up. You have to fight, Naruto. You don't belong here yet."_

_ Naruto frowns. "But...what about..."_

_ "We'll always be here, waiting for you." Kushina says, softly. "So take your time in coming here again."_

_ Suddenly, the world got a whole lot brighter and Naruto's parents became oddly transparent. "We love you..." They say together as they dissapear. And then...darkness._


	10. If You Insist

**Chapter Ten**

**A/N: Okay so this chapter is a tiny bit confusing, I'm apologizing in advance. If you have any questions, let me know! I'll do my best to answer them :)**

It had been nearly twenty minutes since Sakura had first started healing Naruto. Just as she thought, he was not physically injured. Most of what he was suffering was chakra exhaustion. Speaking of which...

_"Huff, huff, huff..._" The rosette was quickly becoming tired. Her own chakra flowing much slower than it should, a fail-safe mechanism to keep her from passing out. But she pushes past it. Naruto needed it much more than she did...even if it wasn't helping him nearly enough. Eventually, though, her hands stop glowing and the world starts to spin, slowly. She sighs, defeated and leans down. Doubling over with her face resting on Naruto's chest. "Naruto..." She closes her eyes. "Please...stay with me..."

Beneath her ear, the blonde's heart was slowing down. His breathing becoming more and more shallow by the second.

"Please..." She whispers again. "Don't do this...do give up."

_B-thump...b-thump...b-thump..._

"Naruto..."

_B-thump...b-thump...b-thump..._

"It's Sakura. I know you can hear me."

_B-thump...b-thump..._

Tears sting her eyes. "Why...?" _Why am I still no use at all! Naruto I'm so sorry!_

_ B-thum-_

Her breath catches. Why was...everything suddenly so quiet? She sits up, staring down into Naruto's empty, lifeless eyes. Suddenly, a droplet of water drips down onto his face. _Is it...raining?_ She wonders. Another drop. _No...I'm crying._ She realizes as her breath hitches again. _Why? Becuase Naruto is dead!_

"NARUTO!" Sakura collapses onto his chest, her body shaking as she sobs, helplessly into the icy-cold skin of best friend's corpse.

The coal black eyes of her companions watch in the scene with matching expressions of grief. Naruto was dead. Even Sai, the boy with no emotion, couldn't look at the lifeless body without his eye tightening in sadness.

Naruto was the single ray of sunshine that kept all of them hopeful. Without him...nothing seemed right. The gloom of the forest was suddenly to deep, to dense. All consuming. Like the sun had been extinguished for the remaining members Team 7.

_**-xXx-**_

___"NARUTO!"_

He jolts back to reality at the sound of the horrified shriek. Even as his eyes open, there is nothing but blackess. "Are my eyes really open?" He wonders. There's a weight on his chest that he doesn't understand. "Ah...can't...breathe..."

_"Naruto..."_

"Huh?" He looks around. Where was that voice coming from?

_"Naruto..." _

"Who's...Naruto?" He asks. "Oh wait..." The fog in his mind began to clear. "What's wrong with me? I'm Naruto." He tells himself. "...right?"

_"Naruto...I'm so sorry..."_

"What? Why?" He turns around, trying to see who was talking to him through the darkness that surrounded him. "Why are you apologizing?"

_"I'm so sorry...I'm soooo sorry..."_

Naruto remains silent as the strange voice apologizes again and again. Each time, the voice sounded sadder and sadder. More and more hopeless. "Sakura..." He breathes, suddenly feeling distant. "Wait." He catches himself. "Who's Sakura?"

_"Naruto...why did you...?"_

"Oh, you're Sakura." He realizes, grinning sheepishly. "Hmm...why does that name sound so firmiliar?"

_I'm sorry I'm so useless..._

"What?" A spike of pain goes through his chest. "Sakura, you're not-" He frowns. "Oh yeah, Sakura is my teammate."

_I'm sorry I didn't get to you in time..._

"In time...? Oh." Naruto closes his eyes, sighing when he remembers being captured. He felt weirdly tired and it was relaxing to close his eyes.

_Please...please wake up..._

"Huh?" He opens his eyes again.

_I know...I know you can hear me. Please wake up!_

_ Sakura, he's already-_

_ No! He's not..._

"What's going on? Sakura, why are you arguing?" Just then, he felt something gripping his shoulders. He couldn't move...

_**-xXx-**_

"Naruto! Snap out of it, please! I know you can hear me!" Sakura demands.

"Sakura-" Kakashi mutters, worry was plastered across his face.

She was holding Naruto close, the boy's body was cradled in her arms. "Sensei, I know what I felt. He's alive...you have to trust me!"

"Sakura, his heart stopped beating. He hasn't taken a single breath in over five minutes. He isn't going to-"

"SHUT UP!"

_**-xXx-**_

___"Naruto..."_

"Ughh..." Why did he hurt so much all of a sudden?

_"Naruto, please wake up."_

"But I'm-"

_"Come on, we're all waiting for you..."_

"But, Sakura...I'm so..."

_"Please."_

He sighs. "Fine...I'll try." He agrees, wearily.

_**-xXx-**_

__"Naruto..." Sakura ignores her companions as they relentlessly tell her Naruto is dead and gone. They've given up on him. But she would never do that. Sakura wasn't the type to give up on the people she loved. She was a fighter when it came to the people she wanted to protect. "Naruto, pleas-"

"Nnn.."

A collective gasp from the members of Team 7.

Sakura grins, knowingly and leans down. Pressing her ear to Naruto's chest, she can't help but laugh, hysterically. Because there it was...

_B-thump, b-thump, b-thump._

"He's alive." She says, for the hundredth time. "He's gonna be okay."

"Uhhh..." Naruto's head lulls to the head as his eyes squeeze shut.

"Naruto?" Sakura whispers, close to his ear.

"S..." He groans.

That was good enough for her. "Captain Yamato! We need to get him home immediately. He'll be okay until then. But we have to go NOW!"

"Right." Yamato carefully scoops Naruto into his arms.

"Sa...k..."

Sakura smiles but gently caresses his cheek. "It's okay, you can rest for now."

He nods, weakly. "O...k..."


	11. How Long I've Loved You

**Chapter Eleven**

*Sigh...* Sakura frowns. She leans forward, restlessly squirming in her seat. "Why is it taking so long?!" She demands of no one in particular. "Naruto's been in there all night!"

"Calm down, you said it yourself. He'll be okay." Kakashi says, dully.

"You're not worried? Even a little?" She asks her teacher.

"Of course I am. But I trust Lady Tsunade to take care of him." He says.

"I do too but..." The rosette closes her eyes, flinching away from the memory of Naruto's deathly cold body. He'd stopped breathing for a long time...it would be a miracle if there was no brain damange, at the least. "I'm just scared something will go wrong."

"It's understandable." Kakashi nods.

"I mean, why can't I go in?! I'm a medic too!" Sakura jumps to her feet, only to sink back down in her chair again. Remembering how Tsuande had literally kicked her out the last time she'd tried to barge in.

"I'm sure it's to protect you, Sakura." Kakashi says. "She's just making sure you don't see anything you don't...have to."

"I already saw him die." She says, coldly. "I can handle being there..." But, even as she said it, she wasn't so sure. She knew she couldn't handle seeing die again. She was suddenly greatful that her mentor had made her wait outside...

Just then, the light above the door goes out. Sakura and Kakashi both go stiff as the door opens, revealing Shizune and Tsunade. The older women nod. "You can go in now."

Sakura wastes no time in jumping up and running into Naruto's hospital room. _Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay!_ She rounds the corner...

Naruto was lying perfectly still on the bed. The slow, steady rise and fall of his chest was evident, even from across the room. Attached all over his arms were different IVs, drips, machines, wires, moniters...That room was a symphony of beeps and chimes, in tempo with his heartbeat. He had an oxygen mask on his face which forced air into his weakened lungs. As well as multiple paper tags with black seals drawn in fresh ink. _To help restore his lost chakra..._ Sakura's inner medic told her.

His skin was still alarmingly pale but, when she ran her fingers over his cheek, she found it warm. Not hot, he wasn't feverish. Just warm. Alive. "Ha..." Sakura laughs, shortly. A sad little smile on her lips. "I told you you'd be okay..." She whispers, stroking his pale blonde hair.

With only the slightest hesitation, she leans down and kisses his forehead. "Wake up soon...Naruto"

_**-xXx-**_

__The days passed slowly for everyone. Even those who hadn't been involved with the mission in the least. It was as if the entire village could sense how close they'd come to losing their hero. And now that the rush to save him was over, the whole village was at rest.

But despite the collective feeling of peace and relief, the entire situation had been kept 'hush-hush' for the sake of the villagers. They didn't need to know that their home had been invaded once again. And so soon after Pain's attack which virtually had destroyed Konoha. Knowing that would have made them nervous and scared and Tsunade didn't want that. So everyone kept quiet about it and only a select few knew what had happened to Naruto.

One of them, a Sakura Haruno, spent her every waking minute caring for him. Even though he had round-the-clock care from handfuls of nurses and doctors alike, Sakura did everything she could for him. On one such occasion, when Naruto's heart moniter started to peak again, she woke up from one of her few chances to sleep to keep the pain at bay. Within minutes, he calmed down again and she was able to sleep for another hour before his room was flooded with nurses for the morning routine. But even though she was deprived of sleep, tired and cranky around most people, she showed only a warm tenderness toward the recovering blonde.

_**-xXx-**_

__By the fifth day, though, Sakura was thoroughly exhausted. She could hardly keep her eyes open long enough to answer the doctor's questions about how Naruto had faired the night before.

"You say he hasn't been in pain for almost 24 hours now?" He asks.

"Yes...he slept well last night." Sakura says, through a yawn.

The young doctor peeks at her over the top of his clipboard and shakes his head. "I suppose you can't say the same for yourself?"

The sleepy girl shrugs. "I'm alright."

With a sigh, the doctor stands and walks for the door. "Why don't you hop in that empty bed and take a nap." He suggests before closing the door behind him.

Sakura looks at the bed against the opposite wall. It was _so_ inviting but...her eyes flick back to Naruto. What if he needed her? She sighs, running a hand through her short, pink hair. _I do need to sleep..._She decides. _But I want to be there if Naruto needs my help._ To her, there was only one solution to both problems.

Gingerly, Sakura pulls up the small lovesteat from the corner of the room and places it beside Naruto's bed. Sliding over the arm of the sofa, she rests her head on the cushion and closes her eyes. It was a last minute desicion to slip her hand into Naruto's. Just in case, you know?

Almost immediately, she gives into the sleep she had so depserately craved.

_**-xXx-**_

__"Ohh...oww..." The light was increadibly bright when Naruto's eye opened. His body felt stiff and awkward, like he'd been asleep for ages. When he tried to lift his arm, he found it restrained...His heart leaps into his throat. _That's right! Madara has me tied down and-_He braces for the blinding pain.

It doesn't come.

There's just a distant relative, a dull throb, in his head and stomach. But nothing _nothing_ compared to what it had been like before. _Maybe I really am dead this time..._He muses, frowning slightly. It's only then that he notices the subtle beeping sounds...and white walls...and the warmth in his hand. What was all this?

Disoriented and confused, he turns his aching neck to the side. Only to find himself connected to a whole plethra of machines. _Oh, now what...?_ That weird heat in his hand moves slightly, a little twitch. He turns again, to the other side. Blinking as the world turns blurry before his eyes, he spots a figure sleeping soundly on a small couch beside him. He follows the figure's arm until he finds the source of what had moved in his hand.

_Why is this person holding my hand?_ He wonders, squinting through his fuzzy vision. Suddenly, his lungs are filled with ice-cold air. He gasps, his body instinctively jerking at the shock. _WHAT WAS THAT?! _His eyes narrow, suspiciously.

_Wait a second...beeping? White walls? Machines...? Oh no..._He was in a hospital. He was very much alive and he was in a HOSPITAL. _But how did I get here?_ He tries thinking back. And when a very blurry memory of being carried suddenly hits him, he understands. _Oh...someone must have rescue me._ He thinks, numbly. _I wonder who-_

"N-Naruto?" The voice was small and slightly frightened.

Naruto turns, curiously toward the voice. The figure who had previously been asleep on the loveseat was sitting up now. Through his swirling sight, he saw her eyes widen.

"Naruto...!" She launches herself at him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders with all the strength of a monster.

_Oh wait, this is-_ "Sakura!" Naruto gasps when everything suddenly clicks into place. He'd been kidnapped by Madara in the middle of the night, had woken up in some kind of coffin that drained him of his chakra. He sent a message to Grandma Tsunade before passing out and then woke up, strapped to a table. Madara started pulling the kyuubi out and Naruto thought he was dead...now...he was awake again. With Sakura holding his hand as tears stream, freely, down her cheeks.

"Ha!" Sakura was holding him close, one arm clinging to his shoulders while the other was holding his head up as she hugged him. "Haha..."

Suddenly, another memory comes back to him and he grins. Leaning into the hug, he whispers in her ear, "Sorry it took so long to wake up..."

He feels her go stiff for a second. "You heard that?" She asks as she pulls away just enough to see his face.

He shrugs. "At the time I didn't really...notice. But yeah, I heard."

Sakura shakes her head, slowly. She was amazed. And so, blissfully, completely happy. Naruto was alive! He was okay and acting like himself again! How could it get any better?! "You have no idea..." She pulls him close to her again, still trying to assure herself that he was alive and well. "How worried we've been..."

"Sorry..." Naruto says, softly. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay. All that matters is you're okay now." She pulls away again, studying his face closely. "You are feeling okay, aren't you?"

The blonde boy grins, a small blush on his cheeks. "Never better."

Sakura realizes what he means and glares, playfully, at him. "Perv."

"What?" He chuckles. "You have no idea how long I've-" He stops himself, biting the inside of his cheek so he won't slip up.

"How long you've what?" Sakura asks, innocently.

He shrugs but doesn't say anything.

Sakura sighs, dramatically. Trying to hide the small smirk that was forming on her lips. She knew exactly what he meant. She suddenly felt very brave. So before she has the chance to chicken out again, Sakura leans forward.

Her soft lips press against his.


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**A/N: WARNING: Some extreme angst in this XD LOL, I couldn't help myself! But there are some sweet moment too :)**

It had been almost a week since Naruto had checked out of the hospital with a 'ticket of full health'. It was practically miraculous how flawlessly he'd recovered. Despite having stopped breathing, he had no brain trauma. His chakra exhaustion had not caused any major problems for his health, either. Tsunade gave a lot of credit to the Fox for healing Naruto, even though a lot of the kyuubi's chakra had been pulled too. Now, both Bijuu and host were good as new.

That same host was now sitting on the head of the Hokage Monument, staring out at the sinking sun with a very distance look on his face. He was lost in thought, otherwise, Sakura would never have been able to sneak up on him. Especially since she hadn't been trying to sneak.

"Hey." She says, gently.

Naruto spins around, startled by the sudden voice. "Oh...hi." He smiles.

"Can I join you?"

"Sure."

Sakura settles down beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. The two of them had shared a kiss in the hospital on the day he woke up. And at that moment, she lost all her shyness about him. It wasn't hard to close her eyes and just enjoy the warmth eminating from his body. Or to casually wrap her arm around his waist and breathe in his scent that relaxed her so easily.

But despite all of her ease around him, he didn't return her affection. He still seemed nervous and slightly awkward when she was close to him. At that very moment, his body felt very rigid. He was still staring off into the distance but his expression was tighter than before, more guarded.

"Are you okay?" She asks. "You seem kinda...down."

He nods. "Yeah, I'm okay. All things considering."

Sakura frowns slightly. "What does that mean?"

He glances at her our the corner of his eye as he squirms, nervously. Trying to get used to having her so close to him. To Naruto, it was a little...distracting. "I...I was scared." He mutters.

"Huh?" Sakura swivels around to face him.

"When the fox was being pulled out I...I really thought I was gonna die." He admits, his voice shaking slightly.

Sakura stares at him in shock. Why was he telling her this? "B-but you didn't give up." She says, trying to comfort him. "You kept fight and you got through it!"

"No..." His voice sounded empty. "I did give up. I let myself die..."

"Wha...what?" She breathes. She felt extremely nervous all of a sudden. What did he mean, he gave up? He let himself die?! No way...not Naruto.

"I was just...sick of it. The pain. I just wanted it to end..." He growls, suddenly his knees pull up to his chest and he is glaring into the sunset.

"Naruto..."

"If you hadn't shown up when you did...I'd be dead now."

"Why are you...telling me this?!" Sakura barks, tears stinging her eyes.

Naruto looks at her, his expression dark. Something unrecognizable flickers in his dark blue eyes when a tear rolls down her cheek. A little smirk plays on his lips. "Always quick to cry, huh Sakura?"

"What?"

"I'm telling you this because I want to thank you." As he says this, he turns to face her. Reaching, gingerly out toward her, he wipes the tear from her cheek. "You reminded me why I never give up. And I want to thank you for that."

"Naruto..." She breathes in disbelief.

"You saved my life. I tried to chicken out...but you stopped me. You reminded me of who I am. I can never thank you enough for that." His eyes were warm pools of crystal blue when he says that.

And for just a split second, Sakura thinks he looks a lot like that annoying little twelve year old she used to know. _Naruto...you're still such a little kid._ "You don't have to thank me for saving you." She says.

"Huh?"

"I saved you because..." She blushes, harshly and somehow, Naruto knew what was coming before she even was sure she was going to say it. "I love yo-"

Her words are cut off by Naruto's lips smashing against hers. When they eventually break apart for air, Naruto smiles, brilliantly. "I love you too..."


End file.
